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#4556247 - 02/15/2108:56 PMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: RedToo]
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Originally Posted by RedToo
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?
Yes, my grandfather was there. [/quote]
Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?
Yes, my grandfather was there.
Quote
Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
The British soldiers included those from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland.
There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB. The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed. There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
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Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by RedToo
[quote= and the British were at Battle of the Bulge?
Yes, my grandfather was there.
Quote
Yup. It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
The British soldiers included those from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland.
You are right, I should have said British Empire and not just British.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4557514 - 02/24/2109:01 AMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]
Actually it was most of them were British at least early in the offensive. It was the debut of Kitchener's New Army. 57,000 casualties on 1 July 1916. I had relatives there. Pipers played in front of the troops until they were all dead. My grandfather told me how the music of the pipes were cut across by the spandaus and fell silent.
Later the Canucks, Springboks and Diggers were used to good effect.
It is a fallacy that it was a futile slaughter, the Heer was never the same afterwards, their guts were ripped out on the Somme.
The French were in the South, but very much in a supporting role as they had their hands full at Verdun.
A bad war like they always are.
"You'll never take me alive" said he, And his ghost may be heard if you pass by that billabong "Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me?"
#4557520 - 02/24/2111:43 AMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]
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Excellent post Mad Max.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
About the 200,000 number, it is the number of french casualties. The battle of the Somme involved 11 french divisions at the start and 48 at the end. A bit more than a supporting role.
French troops had a supporting role at Gallipoli (~80,000 troops). Another battle where the french role is overlooked is Meuse-Argonne offensive approximatively 50% US 50% french.
Unfortunately, WWII made a lot of damage to the french military history.
#4557522 - 02/24/2112:33 PMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]
At the northern end of the Somme front, near the village of Beaumont-Hamel, about 800 troops of the First Newfoundland Regiment were gathered on 1 July in a support trench nicknamed St. John’s Road. They were part of a third wave of troops to attack German lines. At 9:15 a.m., the Newfoundlanders began their assault, crossing no man’s land in rehearsed lines. Out in the open, they saw that the first waves of British attackers had failed — the troops lying dead, or trapped in no man’s land, cut down by machine guns and artillery fire while trying to navigate a few narrow gaps in the barbed wire.
The Newfoundlanders pressed forward into this firestorm. Some were hit before they even reached the front of the existing British lines. Others died upon reaching the base of the Danger Tree, a prominent tree halfway between the British and German lines, where enemy bullets soon found them.
Less than 30 minutes after leaving their trench, it was all over for the Newfoundlanders. Small groups of survivors attempted in vain to fight on. Hundreds of injured men were left to fend for themselves on the battlefield through the night, where they died of their wounds or were killed by German snipers.
More than 700 soldiers of the First Newfoundland Regiment were cut down at Beaumont-Hamel. Of the regiment’s 801 members, only 68 could answer roll call by the end of the opening day.
There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB. The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed. There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4557523 - 02/24/2112:45 PMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Roudou]
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Originally Posted by Roudou
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
It’s just like how most people think the Battle of the Somme in WW1 was just the British against the Germans but in fact over 200,000 French soldiers also participated.
About the 200,000 number, it is the number of french casualties. The battle of the Somme involved 11 french divisions at the start and 48 at the end. A bit more than a supporting role.
French troops had a supporting role at Gallipoli (~80,000 troops). Another battle where the french role is overlooked is Meuse-Argonne offensive approximatively 50% US 50% french.
Unfortunately, WWII made a lot of damage to the french military history.
Thanks for this post! It clears up some things.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4557636 - 02/25/2107:19 AMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]
Yup, the germans made their largest deffensive efforts on the North bank of the Somme river, what I meant is the South bank of the river is too often overlooked.
#4564431 - 04/15/2105:21 PMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]
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“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4565162 - 04/19/2104:27 PMRe: Two Panthers take on 21 Shermans
[Re: Nixer]